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VA Crim Law/Crim Pro Flashcards Preview

VA: There is a rebuttable presumption that a juvenile over the age of ____ but less than______ of age does not possess the physical capacity to commit rape.

10; 12

2

VA: A confession is involuntary if the police use any of the following actions and thereby overbear the accused's will to resist and bring about a confession not freely determined:

1) Force2) threats of violence3) Use of drugs4) Lengthy periods of being held incommincado

3

VA: In Virginia, a jury verdict must be_____to convict

Unanimous

4

VA: In a felony case, arraignment is not necessary when waived by the ________. In a misdemeanor case, arraignment is not necessary when waived by the ________, or when the ____________

accused; accused or his counsel; accused fails to appear

5

VA: What is the outermost time limit for a D to withdraw her guilty plea?

Until court loses is jurisdiction. Within 21 days of conviction

6

VA: What is Capital Murder and what circumstances in which you can be convicted of capital murder?

Willful, deliberate, premeditated murder:1) killing during kidnapping2) for hire3) by inmate4) during armed robbery5) during or subsequent to a rape6) law enforcement officer or judge7) witness8) more than 1 person as part of same transaction9) more than 1 person within 3 year period10) pregnant woman11) under 14 (if over 21)12) terrorism

7

VA: What are the types of grand juries:

1) Regular grand jury2) special grand jury3) multi-jurisdictional

8

VA: If there are subsequent confessions following an involuntary confession, there is a rebuttable presumption that these later confessions are also tainted. What is the standard of proof necessary for the state to overcome this presumption?

Clear and Convincing

9

VA: The D's spouse may be compelled to testify against the D only if the case involves:

1) an offense committed by one against the other or a minor child of either 2) a charge that one spouse forged the other's signature or3) a violation of the law pertaining to criminal sexual assault

10

VA: In VA a D generally may use physical force to defend himself if there is a reasonable appearance that the use of force is justified. How do VA courts determine "reasonable appearance"?

The "reasonable appearance" is determined from the subjective viewpoint of the defendant at the time he acted

11

Is Voluntary intoxication a defense to a crime in Virginia?

Only in 1st degree murder cases.

12

Virginia's rules regarding criminal procedure are derived from three different sources, identify them:

1) the Virginia Constitution2) The Virginia Code of Criminal Procedure3) the Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia

13

VA: what must an indictment or information must contain:

1) the name of the accused2) a description of the offense charged3) the name of the county, city or town in which the accused committed the offense4) a recital that the accused committed the offense on or about the certain date

14

VA: How long may a merchant who has probable cause to believe that a person has shoplifted on the merchant's premises detain that person pending the arrival of a law enforcement officer?

1 hour

15

VA: Sexual intercourse with a child under the age of ____ years is punished as rape.

13

16

VA: if a person is convicted of perjury, she is prohibited from doing what:

1) holding office under the VA constitution2) serving as a juror

17

Bail can be revoked upon a finding that the accused or juvenile will not appear or will constitute an unreasonable danger while at liberty. What is the appropriate standard of proof

Probable Cause

18

Under the Virginia code, what term is synonymous with "kidnapping"

Abduction

19

A regular grand jury consists of not less than ________ or more than _____ persons.

5; 7

20

What are the elements of Entrapment?

1) Design or plan of crime must originate with the law enforcement2) D must not have been already PREDISPOSED to commit the crime.

21

What is felony murder in Virginia?

1) death must occur during one of the ENUMERATED felonies (arson, abduction, rape, sodomy, inanimate or animate sexual penetration, robbery or burglary)2) death must be CAUSALLY CONNECTED to the murder, must result from the actions

22

Probable Cause is present when:

at the time of the arrest the officer has within his knowledge, REASONABLY TRUSTWORTHY FACTS and CIRCUMSTANCES SUFFICIENT to warrant a REASONABLY PRUDENT PERSON to believe that the person to be arrested has COMMMITTED or is COMMITTING a Crime. *measured by a TOTALITY of the CIRCUMSTANCES

23

Can cases where unlawful arrests were made in violation of the 4th amendment be dismissed?

NO. even if warrantless arrests violated the 4th amendment, dismissal of the charge is NOT the proper remedy. Remedy is SUPPRESION of EVIDENCE that was obtained as a result of unlawful arrest.

24

For an arrest to be valid is must be _________. SC has held that warrantless arrests are reasonable for a misdemeanor or a felony when, at the time of arrest, the officer has ___________to believe that the person has committed a crime.

REASONABLE; PROBABLE CAUSE

25

statements made in response to CUSTODIAL INTERROGATION by the police are inadmissibe unless___

The D was first informed of his miranda rights and VOLUNTARILY AND INTELLIGENTLY waived those rights

26

A person is considered to be in custody if ______

the person's freedom of action is denied in a significant way

27

INterrogation includes not only direct questioning, but als any STATEMENT or CONDUCT_________

likely to illicit an incriminating response

28

What is the procedure for trying a juvenile for a crime as an adult?

In VA, the JDRCT, has jdx over matters of juveniles under 18 accused of commiting delinquent acts that would be crimes if committed by adults.

*JDRCT judge through a preliminary hearing will determine whether the juveniule’s case should be transferred to a CC to be tried as an adult.

*prosecutor must elect whether to ahve JDRCT determine 1) whether there is PC and Juve is at least 14 OR 2) whether accused should remain for disposition within juve ourt or be transferred to the adult court

* Transfer is discretionary

* Once transferred to CC, juvenile is tried and charged as an adult and JDRCT loses all jdx.

29

D is permitted to introduce evidence that a witness is_________or ______________, as it tends to show that witness has a motive to lie

biased;has an interest in the outcome of the case

30

Is a request to consult with family, friends or others an adequate substitute for request to consult with an attorney?

NO. but presence, or lack of presence of aparent, may be a factor in whether the juvenile waived miranda rights

31

The intent element of a crime can be imputed to a D acting ________. Therefore a D who was present but didn't actually pull the trigger, would be considered a _______________liable for the same crimes even if didn’t pull the trigger.

What duties is a magistrate authorized to perform?

What is Double Jeopardy?

How does it attach?

When is it waived?

an individual may not be retried for the same offense once jeopardy has attached.

Attaches at the empaneling and swearing in of a jury

Must be raised by a motion prior to trial, otherwise waived (unless good cause can be shown)

45

Double Jeopardy will only bar crimes that are considered the "Same offense". When are offenses not the same?

When each crime requires proof of an additional element that the other crime does not require.

46

What is the standard for sufficiency of evidence?

Through the provisions of the due process clause of the 14th amendment, prosecution is required to prove each element of the crime charged BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT

47

What are the two requirements for discovery in Virginia?

1) must be relevant to the case2) must be known by the Commonwealth's Attorney to be within the possession, control or custody of the Commonwealth.

48

for 4th amendment questions start like this:

For an individual to OBJECT to SEARCH OR SEIZURE under the 4th amend, he must have STANDING, his OWN REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY must have been violated. Whether the individual has a REP is generally decided on a case by case basis by the TOTALITY of the CIRCUMSTANCES, considering factors: ownership of the place searched, location of items seized.

49

What is an Alford Plea?

When a D ACKNOWLEDGES that there is SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE for a CONVICTION of the crime, but does NOT ADMIT FACTUAL GUILT.

50

The court may not admit evidence of a D's refusal to take a breathalyzer test unless:

the defendant raises the absence of a chemical test in defense of the charges.

51

In a criminal trial, if the D feels that the trial judge incorrectly sustained an objection to a rightful line of questioning, how does D preserve his appeal?

D attorney should:1) OBJECT to the ruling at the time it occurs, AND

2) MAKE A PROFFER of what evidence would have been if it had been allowed.

3) appellate court must be able to ascertain whether the trial court's error would have made a difference in the outcome of the case.

52

What is a PRESENTENCE report and when is it allowable?

report of the history of the accused and all relevant facts to determine harshness of sentence.

Must be allowed in felony cases, as long as it is requested before the court imposes the sentence.

Failure to comply is reversible error.

53

When is a separate trial allowed for persons charged with participating in contemporaneous acts?

ONLY if joint trial would cause ACTUAL PREJUDICE to a Defendant. Actual Prejudice results only when there is SERIOUS RISK that a joint trial would COMPROMISE A SPECIFIC TRIAL RIGHT of a D, or PREVENT THE JURY FROM MAKING A RELIABLE JUDGMENT.

54

A juvenile 14 years old or older CAN be transferred from the JDRC if the crime committed_____________

would be a felony if committed by an adult.

55

A juve convicted in circuit court will be sentence by the court without interference by the jury UNLESS__________

the juvenile has been previously convicted and sentenced as an adult.

56

What is principle in the second degree in Virginia?

Either: 1) commits overt act, INCITING

57

Once a sheriff discovers facts that a FELONY has occurred what steps should he take to charge the criminals of an offense?

Either 1) Make an IMMEDIATE ARREST - assuming he has PC - and brought to magistrate for preliminary hearingOR2) Go before a compentant judicial officer (magistrate) to swear out a warrant.OR3) ask the COMMONWEALTHS ATTORNEY to PREPARE A BILL OF INDICTMENT for PRESENTMENT to the regular grand jury. - if sufficient probable cause, the Grand Jury will return a TRUE BILL

58

Once a sheriff discovers facts that a MISDEMEANOR has occurred what steps should he take to charge the criminals of an offense?

1) obtain an arrest warrant, UNLESS the crime was committed in the officers presence.

2)Arrestee must be taken to the appropriate judicial officer

3) upon presentment the judicial officer has 2 options conduct a BAIL HEARING or proceed DIRECTLY TO TRIAL

*may proceed directly to trial ONLY if 1) judicial officer has jdx to try offense with which D is charged 2) the offense is a MISDEMEANOR and 3) the D CONSENTS and prosecution does not object

59

What are the VA Crim Law classes of Felonies?

Class 1: - Death or life in prson (cant be convicted of death if under 18 at time of offense or mentally retarded)Class 2: 20 years to lifeClass 3: 5 -20Class 4: 2 -10Class 5: 1-10, OR up to 12 months, and/OR up to $2500 fineClass 6: 1-5, or up to 12 months and/OR up to $2500 fine.

*class 1-4 also subject up to 100k fine.

60

What are the VA Crim Law classes of Misdemeanors?

Class 1 - up to 12 mos in jail AND/OR up to $2500 fine.

Class 2 - up to 6 mos in jail AND/OR up to 1000 fine.

Class 3 - up to a $500 fine

Class 4 - up to $250 fine

61

P2 and ABF may be _____________________in all respects as if a P1.

idicted, tried, convicted and punished in all respects as if a P1.

62

ABF may be convicted based on________________whereas _____________is sufficient for P2 or ABF.

totality of the circumstances;

Circumstantial Evidence.

63

What is the standard in VA for proving insanity?

TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE JURY

64

What is the year and a day rule?

In VA, a prosecution for murder or manslaughter may be brought regardless of the amount of time that has passed between the act or omission that caused the death and the victims death

65

A merchant may detain a suspected shoplifter for how long?

up to 1 hour.

66

What is the crime of "TAKING INDECENT LIBERTIES WITH A CHILD"?

almost any sexual activity with a child younger than 15 by a person older than 18.

67

What are the VA crimes involving admistration of justice?

1. Perjury

2. Subornation of perjury

3. Bribery

4. Obstruction of Justice

5. Falsely reporting a crime

6. Concealing or Compounding an offense

7. Resisting Arrest

68

What are juror requirements in VA?

1) 182) residents of the state for at least 1 year and for 6 months of the county or corporation in which the court is to be held.